Become a Delegate
Apply to Become a Delegate | Overview of Delegate Process | Timeline
The Democratic National Convention is firmly held in American history as an historic event in the life of the nation. Nothing can compare to the thrill, excitement and exhilaration of witnessing our nation’s Democratic leaders share their vision, ideas and passion with fellow Democrats from all over the United States.
If you are interested in becoming a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, please refer the following resources and timeline.
APPLY TO BECOME A DELEGATE
To run for a delegate position at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, complete our Statement of Candidacy and Pledge of Support form and return it to the Tennessee Democratic Party. If you need a copy of the form mailed or faxed to you, please contact us at (615) 327-9779.
Tennessee Democratic Party (c/o Delegate Selection)
1900 Church St., Suite 203
Nashville, TN 37203
Fax: (615) 891-7453
OVERVIEW
In 2012, Tennessee will send a total of 91 Delegates and 7 Alternates to Charlotte, N.C. to attend the Democratic National Convention on Sept. 3 – 6.
If you want to join Tennessee’s Delegation for the 2012 Democratic National Convention, you must be a bona fide Democrat and be selected as on of three types of Delegates: District-Level, At-Large or PLEO.
- District-Level Delegates: 53 and 5 Alternates
- At-Large Delegates: 18 and 2 Alternates
- PLEO Delegates: 11
District-Level: Tennessee is allowed 53 District-Level Delegates and 5 Alternates chosen by our two-tier convention system, explained in “How to Become a Delegate.” Each of Tennessee’s nine Congressional Districts (CDs) are allocated a number of District-Level Delegates and Alternates, based on population and presidential voting from the 2004 and 2008 elections. Candidates for District-Level Delegate must submit a Statement of Candidacy and Pledge of Support form to the TNDP by 12 p.m. on March 1. The District-Level Delegate process starts March 10 with County Conventions and concludes on March 24 at Congressional District Conventions.
- Download: How Many County Delegates Can We Send to the Congressional District Convention?
- Download: How Many District-Level Delegates Does Our Congressional District Send to the National Convention?
At-Large: 18 At-Large Delegates and 2 Alternates are selected by the TNDP Executive Committee from a statewide pool and offer another way for Democrats to participate in the Democratic National Convention. Candidates for At-Large Delegate should submit a Statement of Candidacy and Pledge of Support form, specifying their “At-Large” status, to the TNDP by 5 p.m. CST March 1. At-Large Delegates and Alternates will be selected at the March 31 meeting of the TNDP Executive Committee in Nashville.
PLEO: Individuals shall be eligible for the pledged Party Leader and Elected Official Delegate position according to the following priority: big city mayors and statewide elected officials (given equal consideration); state legislative leaders, state legislators, and other state, county and local elected officials and party leaders. PLEO Delegate candidates must submit a Statement of Candidacy and Pledge of Support form, specifying PLEO status, to the TNDP by 12 p.m. on March 26. Selection of PLEO Delegates will be confirmed at the March 31 meeting of the TNDP Executive Committee in Nashville.
TIMELINE & KEY DATES
- January 4 — Statement of Candidacy and Pledge of Support forms available at TNDP.org.
- March 1 — Filing deadline for District-Level Delegates and Alternates: Statement of Candidacy and Pledge of Support forms must be completed and returned to the TNDP Headquarters by NOON (1 p.m. EST) on March 1.
- March 1 — Filing deadline for At-Large Delegates and Alternates: Statement of Candidacy and Pledge of Support forms must be completed and returned to the TNDP Headquarters by 5 p.m. (6 p.m. EST) on March 1.
- March 6 — Presidential Primary Election; all potential Delegates MUST vote in the Presidential Primary Election to qualify.
- March 10 — County Convention: County parties select delegates to attend and vote at Congressional District Conventions.
- March 24 — Congressional District Convention: each of Tennessee’s nine Congressional Districts will select a predetermined number of District-Level Delegates and Alternates.
- March 31 — TNDP Executive Committee selects all At-Large Delegates and Alternates and confirms PLEO Delegates along with the remainder of the Tennessee Delegation.
- September 3 – 7 — Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.
2012 Democratic National Convention Resources
Official Democratic National Convention Website - http://www.demconvention.com/
Tennessee Delegate Selection Plan for 2012
The full Tennessee Delegate Selection Plan for the 2012 National Convention has been approved by the Democratic National Committee. You can view the entire delegate selection plan by clicking here: 2012 Delegate Selection Plan.
Affirmative Action Committee Roster
Nika Jackson, Co-Chair
Chris Anderson, Co-Chair
Maura Black Sullivan, Co-Chair
Fabian Bedne, Co-Chair
Cathy Heady
Kim Luton
Jordan Wilkins
Romel McMurry
Caraline Rickard
Michael King
Dwayne Thompson
Will Minter
Manuel Christi
Daniel Brown
TaJuan Stout Mitchell
Erin McCargar
Chris Sanders
Kim Webber
Linda Dotson
Jeanette Jackson
Sue O’Dell
